Expect more major disruptions to Royal Mail postal services as workers return to the picket lines

Despite intensive talks, the company’s bosses and leaders from the Communication Workers Union (CWU) failed to reach a deal.

The bitter row is over pay, jobs and modernisation.

Dave Ward, Deputy General Secretary of the CWU has described the negotiations as “the most useful and productive since the dispute began”.

He said they had put forward a proposal but it has not yet been accepted

The first of three walkouts got underway at 4 am this morning.

Last weeks two-day strike action left a backlog of at least 30 million letters and parcels although many estimated that figure to be much higher.